Announcement

**sj33** · 15-04-2006, 17:29

I can't help too much, but I'll point out some bits which are probably relevent.

ATi's current top tier cards support Component output using an adaptor which most companies package with the cards.

I personally just use my PC and connect that to my HDTV via DVI. One of the main things about a media PC is the desire for it to be quiet... understandable... but how much do you intend to do with this machine in the future?
Many have abandoned the likes of DivX and XviD for superior codecs such as H.264, and H.264 is a key codec which will be used in HD-DVD and Blu-Ray.
H.264 is very processor demanding, especially if you wish to view HD material (and it can be assumed you will do, at some point). With this in mind, you would presumably want a pretty meaty processor, and more importantly, a top tier graphics card which has H.264 acceleration. This, of course, would mean it would be very difficult to keep the machine cool *and* have it run quiet as a mouse.

For a little comparision, I have an AthlonXP 2600+ Barton. 1GB DDR400 and a Radeon 9800 Pro. Hardly a top spec machine, but not exactly low end either. I can just about watch H.264 material in 720p (runs too slow in ffdshow, but runs fine using the CoreAVC codec ). 1080p (which will be used in HD-DVD/Blu-Ray) is a no-go, and I'm building a new machine at the end of the year for this.
Which is another point - DX10 graphics cards with superior H.264 acceleration and HDCP support are due this summer... something to remember).

As far as sound goes, it is true that most onboard sound chips support 7.1 output. That said though. how valuble is sound to you? Support for 7.1 sound doesn't mean they're actually very good. I ditched my onboard for an Audigy2ZS, then ditched my Audigy2ZS for an X-Fi and the difference was phonominal. The X-Fi blows away the Audigy2ZS, let alone some onboard chip. Dunno about you, but I reckon sound is almost as important as video for a machine that's going to be for 'home theatre'.

I'm probably making this more complicated than it needs to be, so I wouldn't blame you for discarding this! But this is something I've been thinking over for my 'dream media machine' I'm building later in the year, consider what I will need for a dream media machine, and these have become key issues for consideration, and I reckon the idea that a media machine can be small, quiet and low spec is a limited one.

**gtskater** · 15-04-2006, 18:03

Hey,

Thanks! You bring up some valid comments.

Yeah, sound really is just as important as video. How much was your X-Fi? Which one did you get?

With regard to the HD stuff you mention. I had thought about this. The Toshiba I've got is only capable of displaying a 480p picture from a component source and I've got no real intention of upgrading the TV anytime soon (I'd rather get going with a HTPC first). So for the time being I'm not that concerned about HD, although obviously it's a consideration. If there are things I can do now to make any upgrade process later on easier then it's worth thinking about.

The way I understand things at the moment, I would be best finding a, probably ATI Radeon, card that would give a component output straight out of the box.

**marcus** · 15-04-2006, 18:32

Where can one find H264 material to test out existing setups on? I recently downloaded a version of the Matrix which was supposedly 1080P I think, it was around 10GB in total, but Ive been advised that it may of been a upscaled DVD (??), I assumed it was taken from a HDTV source direct though. Id like to test an authentic demo and see how it compares to my existing pro-scan DVD player for instance.

**gtskater** · 15-04-2006, 18:38

Marcus,

Try looking at http://www.apple.com/quicktime/guide/hd/ for H.264 content.

**Sane** · 15-04-2006, 19:01

About the Xbox alternative, I've been using my Xbox as media center for over a year now and it's invaluable in my setup. I have it networked with my pc and stream everything I need through the router. The xbox is in the same room as the PC but you could easily place it elsewhere in your house so you won't be bothered by the PC noise (although the xbox makes a little noise too, but I never found it annoying).

About codecs, it will pretty much play everything perfectly. I have yet to come across a video file it can't play and I watch about 1 movie a day on it. It has digital audio out of course, 5.1 through an optical cable. The interface works very well too, it has all the options I need, zooming and stretching, subtitle options, muiltiple audio streams supported.

The Xbox also has one big advantage over a PC when using non HD TV's, it has a proper RGB out signal. I have it hooked up with an official scart lead and it's miles better than anything I could do with my PC through S-Video.

The second advantage is of course the price, you can get it all setup at a fraction of the cost of a good spec PC.

**FelixofMars** · 15-04-2006, 19:10

MEDIAPORTAL - a HTPC Media Center for free! - MEDIAPORTAL

http://www.team-mediaportal.com

MediaPortal transforms your PC into a complete media solution. It runs on basic hardware, connects directly to your TV and displays your TV Series, Movies, Photos and Music in a much more dynamic way. All in the comfort of your living room, on your big sc

This is the PC version of the xbox media center.

**gtskater** · 15-04-2006, 19:18

So the Xbox is a real alternative for music and video playback but of course you can't use it for torrents.

How easy is it to get a standard Xbox to a state where I can do the things you're talking about Sane?

Felix -> I haven't looked extensively at the site (yet), but is there any advantage of running this instead of MCE?

**sj33** · 15-04-2006, 19:36

XBox is great for media, but it's showing it's long teeth now. You try any H264 material in even 640x480 and watch it struggle and loose sync.

This won't be a problem for most of course, but it increasingly will be. Besides, nothing really beats the customisation of a PC setup, both on a hardware and software level.

Oh and my X-Fi was ~?80. There are 4 'tiers' of X-Fi card, the lowest is fine. The higher ones add stuff like X-RAM, which are cool but won't really add much to a home theatre setup.
If that's a little more than your looking to spend on a sound card, EBuyer have Audigy4's for about ~?30. They're a bargin for the price.

**Sane** · 15-04-2006, 19:53

Originally posted by gtskater

So the Xbox is a real alternative for music and video playback but of course you can't use it for torrents.

How easy is it to get a standard Xbox to a state where I can do the things you're talking about Sane?

Felix -> I haven't looked extensively at the site (yet), but is there any advantage of running this instead of MCE?

It's really easy if you softmod it, all you need is splinter cell or mechassault and a way to transfer a save file to the xbox (an Action replay will do it). After that you just follow the on screen instructions, you'll be done in a few minutes.

**ascender** · 15-04-2006, 20:31

I'm using my 360 in the living room to stream music and vids wirelessly from the PC upstairs, which I've now made dual-boot with media Centre. It works flawlessly and I've been most impressed by the size of files you can stream smoothly across the network. The restrictions on video file types aren't an issue any more with the converter programs that are out there. Is amazing to be able to finally watch HD content that's been downloaded.

**Ish** · 15-04-2006, 20:57

Buy yourself one of the new Mac Mini's. Stylish looking and now they come with the remote and FrontRow they make an excellent media center. Particularly if you have a HDTV.

**marcus** · 15-04-2006, 21:18

Another vote for the Xbox and XBMC, Ive rekindled my love of it tonight after I gave up trying to get the 360 to talk with my server box (windows media connect doesnt work on server...), I forgot just how lovely Project Mayhem 3 skin was till I reloaded it just now. Ive set up menus for all my TV Shows, and Music Videos and MP3s, also the superb slideshow feature for my digital photographs. All scaled to 720P format, the videos play lovely, and the Xbox is far quieter than my PC which Id usually use for this.

For high def sources Id imagine the XBox is a limiting factor though, but for everything else its great imo.

**FelixofMars** · 15-04-2006, 22:30

I haven't had the oppitunity to install the software yet, but as far as I know its an open source verysion of Windows Media Center, where as Windows Media Extender only supports images and music and only streaming to other devices.

I would have looked at it this weekend, but I am visiting the folks so can't really go messing with their PC

Originally posted by gtskater

So the Xbox is a real alternative for music and video playback but of course you can't use it for torrents.

How easy is it to get a standard Xbox to a state where I can do the things you're talking about Sane?

Felix -> I haven't looked extensively at the site (yet), but is there any advantage of running this instead of MCE?

**sj33** · 15-04-2006, 22:38

XBMC is excellent, constantly updated and will run everything you throw at it, including MKV/OGM w/ subs. It'll even try to play H.264 (though not well enough to be watchable).
The XBox is also probably the easiest machine to mod, even installing a modchip can be done solderless with relatively little hassle.

It's worth remembering that the XBox is really just a custom PIII 733MHz processor with 64MB RAM, so you won't be able to do anything fancy like HD stuff or H264.

I reckon the XBox would make a great stopgap before building a 'proper' HTPC when HD becomes more relevent.

Announcement

Building a Media Center PC

Building a Media Center PC

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment